Fine Wine, Fraud and Fakery with Sebastian Balcombe – Thursday 13th April

The Billionaire’s Vinegar and Sour Grapes, these are just two of the biggest scandals to have affected the fine wine industry in recent years and with counterfeit wines estimated to be a $3.18 billion per year industry it’s no wonder that some experts estimate that 20% of wine is fake.

We can therefore understand why Members often ask our Sommelier team what’s the best way to spot a fake bottle.

That’s why we reached out to our good friend Sebastian Balcombe, Quality and Authentication Specialist at our neighbouring vinous haven, Berry Brother’s & Rudd, who specialises in just that.

Members can join Sebastian for an informal evening in the St. James’s Room, where he will introduce us to the wild world of fine wine, fakes, fraud and fakery. We will begin with a brief history of wine fraud before we delve deep into prominent cases such as Hardy Rodenstock and Rudy Kurniawan.

We believe all Members should collect with confidence, thus Sebastian will be leading an interactive session, where he expertly guides our Members through the steps of how to authenticate a bottle, showcasing some known fake and authentic bottles which feature anti-counterfeiting measures.

What’s next for the fine wine trade and wine fraud? How will recent scandals in Bordeaux, Burgundy and elsewhere around the globe affect how we buy wine? And how will Future technologies such as blockchain and proof tagging work for or against us? We pose these questions and more during this one-of-a-kind masterclass, which will close with a lively Q&A.

Join us for what is sure to be an unmissable evening discovering the world of wine fraud, glass in hand. We shall serve some delicious wines from the list during the evening. We hope to see you there.

Thursday 13th April
St. James’s Room
18:30 – Glass on arrival 
19:00 – Masterclass begins
20:30 – Masterclass ends

Please note, tickets are refundable for cancellations up to 48 hours before the event. Cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected]. Any cancellations within 48 hours of the event are non-refundable unless 67 Pall Mall resells the ticket to another Member. This is only possible when the event is sold out and there is a waiting list.

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